


Jack Needs a Dad

by Freedoms_Champion



Series: Transformations AU [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel comes back to life again, Gabriel has motives, Gen, Jack's a baby he has a limited vocabulary, M/M, Michael hates everyone, POV Alternating, Ruler of Hell Sam Winchester, don't ask me how the timeline works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24463786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedoms_Champion/pseuds/Freedoms_Champion
Summary: When Jack was born, his father died. He needs a new one to keep him safe from Lucifer, who is also his father. The one he wants doesn't want him, so he goes on a journey to find a substitute until his father comes back to life.Along the way, he just might be able to reunite two brothers who haven't spoken for ten years and build a family for himself.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Transformations AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764439
Kudos: 23





	1. POV Jack - The Search

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> I love Jack so much, he needs happier story-lines. So, I'm going to give him one or two.

Jack needed a father. It had been three days since he was born, and he was starting to think he would never get one. Lucifer clearly wasn’t father material; he’d killed Jack’s father Castiel trying to get at the being he’d unintentionally created. Jack wasn’t happy with that, so he’d left Lucifer behind and gone looking for a better father until Castiel came back.

He would, of course, but Jack didn’t know when. He needed someone to look after him in the meantime. He’d hoped the Sword of Heaven would be a good father, but Dean Winchester had blamed him for Castiel’s death, however temporary it might be.

Jack had left him and kept looking. Maybe Dean needed someone to help him, since the Sword was the closest thing Jack could get to Castiel right now.

The nephilim stopped walking while he pondered that thought. Before he shut them off, the burning voices in his mind mentioned that the Sword had a brother who might do the job Jack needed him to. He smiled. Now he just had to find this second Winchester!

Well, finding someone would be easier if Jack knew where he was. He looked around the dark forest. It was a bit cold under the dripping pines, so he fluffed his feathers a little and wrapped his wings around himself. He was keeping his powers hidden to make sure no one found him until he had a father again, but he could dimly sense something powerful nearby. Maybe this being would be willing to give him directions! Everything in the world knew the name Winchester, expect human people who never paid attention to anything.

He found the being in a clearing of trees. Shadows clung densely here, draping themselves around the tall figure before him. Jack stepped forward and raised a hand in greeting.

“Hello! I need directions to find Dean Winchester’s brother. Can you help me?” he said in a friendly tone. He’d learned about tones from the nice human boy who had given him some clothes.

The being turned. He towered over Jack, even if nobody counted the massive horns that swept back from his forehead. Long brown hair hung around his face but didn’t manage to obscure his glowing green eyes. They reminded Jack of Dean’s eyes, but darker. A thick cloak of black fur hung from the being’s broad shoulders and a black tattoo rested over his heart.

Jack watched the being take a step toward him on legs bearing shaggy brown hair and cloven hooves.

“Dean Winchester’s brother? Why are you looking for him, angel-spawn?” the being asked, flashing surprisingly delicate white fangs at him in a brief smile. Jack knew about smiles from his mother, who had always spoken to him with one. He wished he could have seen her smile from outside of her.

“I think he might help Dean be a good father to me,” Jack replied, giving the being a smile in return.

“Really? Why would you ever want Dean to be your father?”

“I chose Castiel to be my father, but my father Lucifer killed him,” Jack said. He felt his shoulders and wings slump with the words. “Dean is close to Castiel, so I would choose him until Castiel comes back, but he doesn’t want me. He blames me for what happened. I thought his brother would help him change his mind.”

“You don’t know much about Sam Winchester,” the being said darkly. He came a little closer. Jack risked letting his power flare a little while he made sure this being wasn’t another enemy. His soul was layered with shadows, like the ones that surrounded his body, but Jack was struck by the essential kindness of this creature. He was deeply compassionate, studious rather than violent, and loyal in a way that told Jack he would bypass any obstacle he needed to if he felt the need. That wasn’t say this being wasn’t capable of violence, because Jack could sense the death and suffering that surrounded him.

This being was ruthless enough to protect him, if he could just gain his loyalty.

“Do you know Sam Winchester?” Jack asked.

“In a manner of speaking. I haven’t called myself Sam Winchester since I became King of Hell,” was the response.

Jack’s wings spread around him with excitement. “Will you help me, please? I want to be able to make Castiel proud when he comes back.”

Sam’s glowing green eyes bore into him. Jack got the feeling the King of Hell was doing a bit of quick thinking. It was then that he got a little confused. His mother had been menaced by the bad woman, the Prince of Hell. Would Sam Winchester turn him over to Lucifer?

Castiel wouldn’t like that.

“Well, why not? I’ve missed Dean,” Sam said, showing his fangs in a longer smile. “Let’s go see him together, shall we?”

Jack beamed and walked alongside Sam out of the clearing. His quest to find a good father was coming to a happy ending after three days! It had started to feel like he would be looking forever.


	2. POV Sam - Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam wants the angel child to be right, but he's not sure Dean wants to see him at all.

Sam fought a rising bout of nerves as they neared the underground dwelling of his brother. As he’d told the angel-spawn -Jack- he hadn’t claimed his human name in some time. Dean’s death had changed everything for him. He’d claimed the throne, set his brother free from Hell and hoped Dean would live a good life. He’d told himself there was no future between a hunter and the King of Hell. His demons had told him about Dean falling in with the angels and finding a bit of happiness with the angel Castiel, but Sam hadn’t reached out. He wasn’t sure Dean wanted to remember him.

Although, he supposed it was possible the Sword of Heaven could tolerate him, if an archangel could stand it. Not that he understood why Gabriel bothered him so often. He certainly wasn’t a nice friend to the youngest archangel.

He drew his cloak close around his body, needing the comfort it gave him. There was no hiding how transformed he was, though Dean would be instantly aware that Sam was not a demon. He had so far managed to avoid becoming one, though there had been some close calls. Until Sam died, he would remain in this form, and then he would be a demon. He was putting off his death for as long as he could.

It would go better if the stupid demons would accept that he wasn’t going to change his policies or give up.

Dean came out, all blazing light and outspread wings. Sam blinked. That was new, actually. Becoming the Sword of Heaven had wrought changes on Dean, it seemed. His brother’s green eyes blazed like flames now and his skin shone, even in the sun.

Jack shrank behind him and Sam had to repress a laugh. How had his life come to the point where the son of Lucifer hid behind him to escape Dean?

“Hi, Dean,” he said. “It’s been a while.”

Dean glared at him, hand straying to the Heavenly sword on his hip. His wings drooped, though.

“Sammy. Why are you here?”

“Jack thinks we should be his parents until Castiel comes back to life,” Sam said, unable to avoid rolling his eyes a little bit. The young nephilim was adamant that the angel would be back, and Sam didn’t have the heart to contradict him. Besides, his demons had told him stories about the angel who died and came back. This Castiel was just like a Winchester.

Sam had come close to meeting him once, when Castiel tried to rescue Dean. Somehow, he had missed the fact that Dean was already gone from Hell. Sam hadn’t quite made it to address the incursion and that lapse had led to six uprisings among the demons. By the time he wasn’t so busy, events had proceeded without him.  
“After all this time, that’s why you come home?!” Dean snarled, his wings flaring up again. They were pretty things, Sam had to admit. Dark blond with speckles of brown, they managed to match Dean’s hair and his freckles. He still didn’t want Dean to hit him with one of them.

“It’s been years, Sam! You should have come to see me years ago! Why didn’t you?”

Sam shifted on his cloven hooves. “I didn’t think you wanted me around, Dean. I’m still human, but only just. I thought you hated me.”

Dean’s hug almost knocked him off his hooves. The shimmer in his skin burned against Sam’s bare chest, but he didn’t care. He’d gotten used to burning a long time ago.


	3. POV Jack - Complcations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack has settled into his new life, with a few lingering concerns. He wasn't ready for his uncles to visit.

Things were going very nicely, in Jack’s opinion. Overjoyed to have his brother back, Dean accepted him and now they all lived in Dean’s cave. Even though Dean called it a bunker, it was underground and that made it a cave. Maybe Dean still didn’t care much about what Jack did, but Sam made sure he got sleep, which Jack didn’t need very much, and ate healthy fruit as well as meat and bread. Sam was a good father, no matter what the burning angel voices had to say about him.

Jack just didn’t know what to do if Lucifer tried to take him away again.

“Sam, what would you do if Lucifer tried to take me away?” Jack asked the King of Hell over dinner, a week after they had moved in.

Sam munched on a forkful of leaves while he thought about it. Jack wondered if having horns made Sam need to eat leaves like other creatures that had horns.

“I’d probably have to fight him,” Sam finally said. “I have history with Lucifer. But it wouldn’t really solve anything. He’s going to keep trying to get you on his side until you’re powerful enough to change his mind.”

“Oh,” Jack said. He fiddled with his own plate of leaves while he thought about that. “Can you teach me how to use my powers so I can get rid of Lucifer?”

“Maybe. I don’t know much about angel powers. But between me, Dean, and Castiel, we should know enough to get you on the right track.”

“Cas thought so, before the kid was born,” Dean added. “He didn’t know you’d show up, Sam, but he was convinced Jack could be a force for good.”

Jack couldn’t help a smile. He knew Castiel thought that but hearing it from Dean made a happy glow in his chest.

Dean didn’t have any leaves on his plate because he’d said something rude to Sam. At least, Jack thought it was rude, because neither of them would explain to him what it meant.

A loud voice rang through the dining room. “Why have you given sanctuary to this abomination, Dean Winchester?”

Jack didn’t know who was speaking, but he really didn’t sound friendly. He turned and found two archangels.

One of them was blond, his halo of solid silvery-blue flames managing to be round and echo the sweep of his pure white wings at the same time. Jack had never seen wings so big. 

The other archangel had brown hair of a much lighter shade than Sam’s, in fact, it was almost red. His halo sat crookedly among his curls and his wings were the color of his hair streaked with gold.

Dean didn’t look impressed. “Michael. Does it matter what I do in my own home? If Heaven calls, I’ll do my job. Until then, leave me alone.”

Jack slid out of his chair and crept behind Sam. He didn’t like the glare Michael bestowed on all three of them.

Dean and Michael shouted at each other. Jack tried not to listen to them. Castiel had told him, before he was born, that people would have a hard time believing he wasn’t like Lucifer, but Jack hadn’t expected Michael to be so angry. The only good thing about him showing up was that he didn’t have to eat the leaves.

Michael had blown up the table.

Shortly after that, Sam ushered Jack further into the bunker-cave to get some sleep. Jack wasn’t tired, but he shut himself in his room gratefully. Lying flat was better than listening to Michael calling him names.


	4. POV Dean - Archangel Schemes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean deals with the ongoing trials of archangels, who don't care what he wants, are incredibly rude, and might have a thing for his little brother.
> 
> Good thing he's not on his own.

“Can you believe this?” Dean grumbled, throwing an armful of broken wood into the pile in the corner. Stupid Michael had exploded his table in a tantrum and left without apologizing.

“Dean, Dean, don’t make a big deal out of it,” Gabriel said, snapping his fingers and reassembling the table.

Of course he did. Dean resisted the temptation to draw the Sword of Heaven and filet the youngest archangel. Only the thought of Cas’s sad eyes when he got back to find bits of Gabriel on the floor kept him in control.

Sam hesitantly touched the table as if he needed to make sure it was real before pulling his chair back into place and sitting.

Dean couldn’t get used to how different his brother was. Thankfully, Sam had abandoned the bare-chested cave man look and gone back to wearing flannels, but there wasn’t much he could do to hide the horns and hooves. The shadows that clung to him were there to stay, just like Dean couldn’t get rid of his Heavenly glow.  
“This can’t keep happening,” Sam said. Dean didn’t like the exhausted note in his voice.

“I get that Michael’s a dick, but he is still kind of my boss. I can’t just ward him out, even if I knew how.”

“Jack is already in a fragile state, Dean,” Sam replied. “You saw him back there. He’s just a kid and he really isn’t ready to face people like Michael.”

“What do you want me to do? The bunker is the only safe place for Jack, so I’d have to leave to keep Michael from just showing up.”

“Or you could let me convince Big Bro to make me the overseer on this,” Gabriel cut in. He grinned crookedly when Dean shot him an unamused look. “Come on, give it a think. Michael would know that Luci’s boy wasn’t being indoctrinated with evil, you wouldn’t have to deal with Michael, and I would get a number of benefits out of it. Wins all around.”

“What kind of benefits would make you get off your ass?” Sam asked, possibly intentionally stating Dean’s thoughts. The angels could and frequently did pull thoughts out of Dean’s head, so he wasn’t sure if the King of Hell could do the same thing.

On second thought, he might not be able to. Dean wasn’t stupid, he could see the ongoing struggle Sam faced from Dean’s holy aura. Jack wasn’t so bad, but Dean knew his touch caused his brother pain. It followed that his King of Hell mojo wasn’t as effective.

“Sammy, can’t you guess by now?” Gabriel replied with what was unmistakably a leer.

Dean covered a gag by coughing. Sam’s hooves audibly clattered on the floor as his shifted uncomfortably.

Gabriel ignored them both to focus on a cupcake he’d made out of nothing.

“Dean, what’s wrong?” asked a familiar deep voice.

Dean whirled, hardly daring to believe it, but there was Cas. His brother-in-arms, the angel who should have been his commander, the only person Dean had been able to trust after Sam’s disappearance and Bobby’s death, Cas stood at the bottom of the stairs in his “cloaked” form, his wings and halo tucked away where they wouldn’t bother anyone. He looked drained and exhausted, but he was alive.

Dean sprang out of his chair and wrapped Cas in his arms. And if Sam said anything, he would deny it, but a few tears seeped into Cas’s brown trench coat while he clung to the angel.

Cas, despite years of knowing Dean, returned the hug awkwardly. Still, the bond between them proved that Cas was just as ecstatic to see him, maybe more. Dean could sense new scars had been added to his angel while he had been dead.

“Just the usual, Cas,” he said, finally stepping back. “Sam’s back, Lucifer’s kid thinks I’m his dad, and Michael threatened to throw me off the Host. None of that matters.”

Cas’s blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he squinted. “You took a vow, Dean. It cannot be invalidated by Michael. You are the Sword of the Heavenly Host,” he said, proving again that even death couldn’t make him less literal minded.

“That’s the least of our worries, little brother,” Gabriel said lazily. “Help me convince Dean that I should act as a go-between to report Jack’s progress to Mike.”

Dean led Cas to the repaired table and made him sit, because he knew Cas would forget to while he pondered Gabriel’s offer. He would have made Cas eat something, but the steady hum of Cas’s Grace proved he was still an angel and didn’t need it. Cas only rarely tolerated the taste of molecules.

“It’s a surprisingly good idea, Gabriel,” Cas finally said. “I’m grateful you suggested it.”

Gabriel popped up and bowed to Cas, auburn curls falling into his face unrestrained by his halo. With a soft rustle of wings, he vanished.

Dean sat back, determined to relegate his worries to the back of his mind. Gabriel absolutely had ulterior motives and not of them would have to do with Sammy, but that could wait.

Cas was back.


	5. POV Jack - Completed Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack finally has the family he'll need to keep him safe.

Jack really had fallen asleep when he felt a presence. Familiar and comforting, it brushed against his senses. He would know it even if he had turned them off.  
Castiel was back!

Wings fluttering with excitement, Jack flung off his blanket and shot out the door of his room. Michael was gone and as Jack made his way through the halls, Gabriel’s presence winked out. Jack had liked this uncle, who didn’t care if Jack was related to Lucifer, but he wasn’t sure he could be trusted.

Not that it mattered now that Jack’s father had returned!

He turned a corner hard and back-flapped his wings to keep his balance. Castiel sat at the table, which was reassembled without the plates of leaves. Jack beamed.  
“I knew you would come back!” he said and hurried across the room to hug Castiel.

The angel hugged him back, his relief and happiness radiating from him in the song of his Grace. The only other time Jack had heard Castiel’s Grace ring like that, it had been when Dean showed up just before Jack was born.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Jack. I’ve learned a bit about the events that followed my death and it is very lucky that you made it to the bunker.”

“I’m sorry,” Jack said, sliding out of Castiel’s embrace and hugging his wings close. “It’s my fault you died. Dean was right to blame me.”

“That’s not even a little true!” Dean protested, his own wings fluttering slightly. Jack hadn’t been able to read them very well, since Dean kept them tightly folded a lot of the time. Human souls were different from angel Graces, too, and Jack couldn’t rely on souls to reflect what their owners were feeling all the time.

“Dean’s right, Jack. Never think that your birth is something you should be blamed for. No child can choose to be born or not. As for my death, I made my own choices and then Lucifer upset my plans. That wasn’t your fault,” Castiel said, putting a hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“Can you help me make sure Lucifer can’t manipulate me?” Jack asked, looking up at his father.

“I will do everything I can to make sure you are as skilled as I am, as strong as Dean, and as cunning as Sam,” Castiel said, his Grace chiming with the conviction behind his words.

Jack let them send him back to bed after that. Things were going to be just fine now. He had three fathers to look after him, good people whose examples he could follow and make his mother proud.


End file.
